The Garden Route is the name given to the stretch of coastline that lies between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth on the most-southern tip of South Africa.

It is regarded by many as one of the most beautiful parts of the sun-soaked country and is extremely popular with tourists who explore the region most often by the ubiquitous Baz Bus.

Dropping backpackers off along different points of the eastern Cape, the Baz Bus is the most common way to see the various points of the Garden Route, such as Mossel Bay, the Tsitsikamma National Park and the Cango Caves.

As well as glorious golden beaches, the area boasts a surfing mecca at Jeffrey's Bay, the chance to spot some of Africa's game and see people ride Ostriches, providing a real range of entertainment.

Traditions and culture in the Garden Route

This part of South Africa is widely regarded as one of the safest parts of the country. Removed from the politics of Cape Town, Johannesburg or Pretoria this is a region where holidaymakers come to be dazzled by nature's beauty.

As a result of its popularity, the area is heavily geared towards Westerners and the hostels and hotels in the area are awash with European and American travellers.

Furthermore, although South Africa is an extremely diverse nation with a population of 43 million and 11 officially recognised languages, English is widely spoken throughout.

One thing holidaymakers will need to be aware of before heading off to the nation is the risk of malaria, especially if they are going to visit any of the Garden Route's nearby game reserves.

In order to gain protection against this disease, travellers should see their doctor a reasonable period of time before leaving the UK who will prescribe a course of anti-malaria pills to provide immunity.

Recommended in the Garden Route

Knysna, which is located between George and Plettenberg Bay, is a must-see of the route. It features an 18-square metre lagoon, which is home to more than 200 species of fish.

Furthermore, the Knysna Forest and Pledge Nature reserve give tourists the chance to get back to nature and explore some undisturbed African countryside.

Then for those who really want to get closer to nature in Mossel Bay, which is equidistance from Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, travellers are given the chance to go diving with the sharks which prowl in the the local bay.

Meanwhile, Tsitsikamma National Park was South Africa's first ever marine and forest park, billing itself as a "unique floral kingdom" with deep gorges and evergreen forests to explore.

Weather in the Garden Route

Summer in the Garden Route falls between the months of December and February and temperatures in this period soar to around 28 degrees Centigrade and higher.

However, the eastern Cape, which the Garden Route is located on, is known for being a damper region compared with the northern provinces of South Africa and rain is not a rarity.

In the winter months, July to September, temperatures are mild and rain is more regular.

Destination checklist for the Garden Route

The official currency is the rand and the current exchange rate with the sterling makes purchases in South Africa extremely cheap.

The Garden Route is one hour ahead of GMT in BST. It uses the international dialing code +27.